Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 2: SOS Inte-rnational, an organization for PoK displaced persons has said that package of Rs 2000 crore announced by the Prime Minister was though a welcomed step but it can never be considered as full and final package.
Talking to media-persons here today, refugee leader Rajiv Chuni said that the struggle is not over as it is not a big victory and the struggle of SOS International will carry on till the final goal and absolute justice is achieved. He alleged that apathetic behavior of Government can be gauged from the fact that two years back in October 2014, State Cabinet had passed a package for PoK refugees worth Rs 25 lakh per family, reservation to the wards of PoK refugees in professional and technical colleges across the country, employment package for the unemployed youths in Government jobs etc and sent it to Centre for approval. “Parliamentary Committee found Rs 25 lakh insufficient and had recommended Rs 30 lakh instead of proposed Rs 25 lakh.
“After an year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Kashmir on November 7, 2015 announced mere Rs 2000 crore instead of Rs 9096 crore as recommended by previous Omar Govt. It is strange that it took one more year to Modi Government to get nod of Cabinet. The PoK refugees who have been facing the apathy of various successive Governments since 1947 and the said amount must be taken as just an installment. The final settlement will be done when Government will decide PoK issue once for all,” he added.
Displaced community leader further stated that exclusion of 5300 PoK refugees families is unfortunate on the part of Government because after forceful migration they were given shelter outside Jammu and Kashmir by State and Central Government by counting several constraints. The then State and Central Government settled these 5300 families in various parts of country as the whole chunk of PoK refugees could not be accommodated in Jammu and Kashmir. It is hard to understand that now why have they been excluded from the package?
Senior SOS leaders Prof JS Mangal, Prof NN Sharma, Roshan Lal, VK Datta and Tarvinder Singh also spoke on the occasion.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
